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Tuesday, Jan 25 2022, 7AM
(From Pitchfork) “When I wrote Ignorance, it was a time of intense creativity, and I wrote more songs than I ever had in my life,” the Weather Station’s Tamara Lindeman said in a statement. “The songs destined to be on the album were clear from the beginning, but as I continued down my writing path, songs kept appearing that had no place on the album I envisioned. Songs that were simple, pure; almost naive. Songs that spoke to many of the same questions and realities as Ignorance, but in a more internal, thoughtful way. So I began to envision How Is It That I Should Look At The Stars, a quiet, strange album of ballads. I imagined it not as a follow-up to Ignorance, but rather as a companion piece; the moon to its sun.”
pitchfork.com
Good morning, and happy Tuesday!
Be sure to check out Christine and the Queens' Live on KEXP at Home performance and interview: youtu.be
Second EP from LA based group Gabriels, consisting of lead singer Jacob Lusk and producers Ari Balouzian and Ryan Hope.
From the new EP Bloodline, ‘Stranger’ combines electronic whirrs and vibrating sub-bass with traditional instrumentation such as horns, gliding violins and bright pianos, in a manner that recalls the experimental works of Nick Cave and Warren Ellis – before a dynamic shift is roused off the back of Lusk’s harmonised vocal projections.
bit.ly
gabriels.bandcamp.com
This one is for Ahndrea, who wrote in:
"Hi John,
I am wondering if you could play ‘If it be your will’ performed by Antony (but written by Leonard Cohen) one of these mornings. The song comforted me when my world was wildly transforming during a couple years of work in Nicaragua 10 years ago. These days I am just as on edge working as a teacher who never seems to have enough time for the job or for taking care of myself. When I am at the breaking point this song brings me joy. It would be so nice to hear it on my way to the classroom one of these mornings.
Your show has been a blessing and you are one of my heroes.
Sincerely,
Ahndrea
Kent, WA"
Thank you, Ahndrea, and fellow teachers for all that you do!
"[Leonard] Cohen is not alone in deserving credit for this cynical masterpiece. He wrote the lyrics and handed them off to his former backing singer Sharon Robinson in the first of what would become many songwriting collaborations between the pair. Speaking to Uncut magazine, Robinson remembered the approach she took once she got a hold of the Canadian Bard’s words. 'It’s a protest song, so Leonard wanted something tough,' she said. 'I’d bring home verses, and go to the grand piano in my living room, as his lyrics require that purity of melody.'": bit.ly
Pixies covering the great Leonard Cohen in 1991 with their version of, "I Can't Forget".
This track originally appeared on Cohen's 1988 release, "I'm Your Man".
Happy birthday to "I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning," released by Bright Eyes on this date in 2005.
Fleet Foxes in the morning, on the Morning Show!
Here are the Fleet Foxes Live on KEXP back in 2017:
youtu.be
The Head and The Heart is back and have announced their new album, Every Shade of Blue, which is set to be released on April 29th!
The band says, “Every Shade Of Blue conveys a spectrum of emotions and how we live with them. The closer we get the more shades we see. The more shades we see the more responsibility we hold. We all want to feel loved and protected. The question is will we be supported and seen by the ones we love In Every Shade Of Blue.”
Official Music Video:
youtu.be
The Head and the Heart on KEXP in 2019:
youtu.be
Mike Scott began writing the songs for This Is the Sea in the spring of 1984. Scott recalls that in December 1984, "during The Waterboys' first American tour, he bought two huge hard-bound books... in which to assemble his new songs." For the following two months Scott worked on the songs in his apartment, writing the lyrics, and working on guitar and piano arrangements. Scott wrote between 35 and 40 songs, but felt that the nine songs that made it onto the album "were the ones that were intended to be there."
Read an interview with Mike Scott about this song and this classic album: thequietus.com
This one goes out to Sean, who wrote in this morning:
"Last week I lost one of my closest friends to lung cancer (non smoker). My fondest memories of him were when we lived together in college and we would stay up Sunday nights to watch MTV 120 Minutes with Dave Kendall. We loved the new music by Charlatans UK, Oasis, Blur, Ocean Blue, Stone Roses, etc.
If you could play something from that era in memory of my buddy Chris, I would appreciate it.
Also, although I shed many a tear, the laughs with my college friends won out. Reminded me that We Are Not Alone in many interactions in life. Thanks for all you and KEXP do!
Sean"
For Sean, and for Chris!
One more for Sean and Chris.
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This song, composed by Noel Gallagher, is the favorite Oasis song of his brother Liam. Noel Gallagher started writing this song when he was a roadie for The Inspiral Carpets. It helped convince his brother Liam to let him join his band, Oasis.
Noel Gallagher said in an interview that he never had a life goal until he penned this song. "Where I came from, and the times that I grew up in, it was best not to have any ambitions. It was quite a bleak time," he said. "I never had a life goal until I wrote 'Live Forever.' And then when I wrote 'Live Forever,' I wanted to be in the biggest band in the world."
The verses are sung by guitarist Graham Coxon, who also wrote the lyrics. The song describes Coxon's struggle with alcoholism and the song's video, featuring a sentient milk carton searching for Coxon, won several awards.: www.youtube.com
Covers is Cat Power's 11th studio album and third covers album.
Marshall finds her covers inspiration from the folk and jazz scenes, where songs are passed down and around and reinvented, without hang-ups around whether the performer wrote it. “All it does is it just creates a sense of community, you know?” she says. “More people learn about different things, and it’s really essential to our f*ckin' evolution that we all learn about other stuff.”
Marshall spoke to Vulture about her history of covers and what she’s learned from nearly three decades in the music business. Full interview here:
www.vulture.com
Alice in Chains released 'Jar of Flies' on this date in 1994.
The album's title originates from a science experiment that Jerry Cantrell conducted in third grade. The experiment consisted of maintaining two jars full of flies. The flies in one jar would be overfed, while the flies in the other jar would be underfed. The flies that were overfed reproduced rapidly, but then died from overcrowding. The flies that were underfed managed to survive throughout the year. Concerning the anecdote, Layne Staley said "I guess there's a message in there somewhere. Evidently that experiment had a big impact on Jerry."
Fontaines D.C. will play the Showbox SoDo on Saturday, May 14th, 2022!
The phrase “skinty fia” is Irish, translating to “the damnation of the deer.” The title and cover art are both references to the extinct Irish giant deer, with a press release alluding to the idea that the band seized on the symbol for an album that meditates on their Irish identity.
bit.ly
youtu.be
Check out Fontaines D.C. Live on KEXP at Home session from November 2020:
bit.ly.
fontainesdc.bandcamp.com
fontainesdc.com
The Swedish trio known as VERP (Julia Boman, Clara Gyökeres and Amanda Eddestål) experiment with genres and references, challenging the idea of what a modern band is supposed to be - this time with artistic freedom. These experiments have resulted in a forthcoming debut album, due for worldwide release in Spring 2022, but first comes a brand new 7'' featuring new single 'BEG!' and a brilliant reimagining of Shame’s “Concrete”, two tracks showcasing the band’s move into indie rock territory, while retaining their pop chops.
veroband.bandcamp.com
Meat Puppets released their eighth studio album 'Too High to Die' on this day in 1994!
Philadelphia's The Mary Veils will release their sophomore album Esoteric Hex on March 25, 2022.
In anticipation of the new release, The Mary Veils has shared “Bone Blossom Green,” the first single off of the new release.
“‘Bone Blossom Green’ was based off a riff we had floating around for a while. Originally we thought it would just be that main riff, for the entirety of the song but it kind of took a different turn while writing. It was one of the more challenging ones for us to finish, but we think it really showcases us as a band, and in a way highlights how we’ve developed musical and what our sound has become.”
bit.ly
As with most of the songs on Jericho Sirens, “Six Wave Hold-Down” concerns the futility and unsustainability of workaday life.
hotsnakes.bandcamp.com
Happy birthday Mark!
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Goat Girl performing live at Studio 9294 in Hackney Wick, London, during KEXP's International Clash Day broadcast in 2019. (The set included "Cracker Drool."):
www.youtube.com
"Good Morning John! I'd like to wish my son Axel a Happy 16th Birthday. He is a good kid with a big heart and we love him dearly. The first non-nursery school song he started singing was LSF by Kasabian. If it pleases the DJ could you fit it in?
Warmest Regards,
Tom
Ft Lauderdale"
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About this song, guitarist Serge Pizzorno said,
The message is to enjoy your life while you've got it. The world is insane and music's maybe the last pure thing we've got, the one thing that can bring people together. When we play that song in the set you can hear that chant coming from the crowd and it's louder than us. It's hands in the air and it's like we're all in it together. It doesn't matter if you're the President of the United States or Jim from Sunderland, we're all at risk, so while you're here, sing a song."
Acid Tongue and Death Valley Girls met up and created this banger!
"We linked up with Bonnie Bloomgarden of Death Valley Girls to create a good old-fashioned rock & roll song. The resulting tune was rewritten on a certain cold January day as we watched a bunch of full-grown adults act like crybabies, throwing a big tantrum in DC. The video is a playful, dark spin on everything we were feeling as we watched with despair.?" bit.ly
Official Video:
youtu.be
Acid Tongue, Live on KXP in 2018:
youtu.be
Death Valley Girls, Live on KEXP in 2020:
youtu.be
acidtongue.bandcamp.com
deathvalleygirls.bandcamp.com
Le Butcherettes and Death Valley Girls will be releasing a new split EP. The two song EP is out now digitally, but will be released on February 11 on 7 -inch. Pre-order is currently available. This is one track and the other is a Le Butcherettes take on the Death Valley Girls song from Under the Spell of Joy, “The Universe.”
There will be a one time vinyl pressing of the EP, but only 1000 copies will be released. deathvalleygirls.bandcamp.com
As per listener request!
A Fistful of Dollars is a 1964 film directed by Sergio Leone, starring Clint Eastwood in his first leading role.
The James Hunter Six’s latest offering, With Love: a heart-shaped collection of candle-lit ballads and love songs due out digitally February 14 and physically on March 25th.
www.jameshuntermusic.com
"It seems weird and kind of mean that kids just keep on aging during the pandemic. Today is my oldest kid Aesop 14th birthday. He's such an incredible person, and he has spent every day of his life listening to KEXP. Could you play anything by Pinback? Whatever fits in the set. I'm letting him sleep in a little bit before we head to school. :-)"
Tasha, a teacher in Seattle
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Larry Walters, whom this song is about, was a truck driver made famous by his flight on July 2, 1982, using 45 helium-filled weather balloons attached to his lawn chair.
Read about The Rise and Fall of 'Lawn Chair Larry' here:
www.npr.org
Portland's Menomena performed live on KEXP from the Doug Fir Lounge during MusicfestNW back in 2012: www.youtube.com
menomena.com
A listener request for Scottish artists to celebrate Burns supper or Burns night.
Burns Night honors the iconic Scottish poet Robert Burns, who wrote the New Year’s Eve anthem Auld Lang Syne, and many other poems. Many Scots host a Burns supper on January 25th, the poet’s birthday, although they can be held throughout the year.
Sparkle in the Rain is the sixth studio album by Scottish rock band Simple Minds.
The waterfront in this song is the River Clyde in Glasgow, Scotland where the band is from. "The song itself is about the rebirth of our city," Simple Minds lead singer Jim Kerr told Songfacts. "It talks about the water, and anyone listening might think it's Biblical. A baptism or something."
Glasgow was economically depressed at the time, but walking along the river, Kerr got a sense of hope.
This song is driven by a big bass pulse that was generated by a Dynacord amplifier and sampler. This was relatively new technology and the sound Simple Minds got out of it was modern and anthemic, making it perfect for live performance. It became a concert favorite for the band.
Edinburgh's Ballboy and four things they want in this song: a springboard, a pair of shorts, a plain white t-shirt, and a perfect backflip.
ballboy.bandcamp.com
Darklands is the second studio album by Scottish rock band The Jesus and Mary Chain.
Watch Jim Reid shuffling about miserably for this rainy day classic here: www.youtube.com
Singer Shirley Manson is from Scotland, where it rains frequently. She thinks of the song as an example of the Scots' self-deprecating humor.
Garbage drummer Butch Vig sees this song as "an homage to The Jesus And Mary Chain."
Treasure is the third studio album by the Scottish band Cocteau Twins. It became one of the band's most critically successful releases, although the band considered it underdeveloped.
Persephone is the Greek goddess of spring, and the daughter of Zeus (god of lightning) and Demeter (goddess of the harvest). She became the queen of the Underworld after being abducted by Hades, the god of the underworld. Her godly parents demanded her release, however, because Persephone had consumed food from the Underworld (a handful of pomegranate seeds), she had to remain in the Underworld for part of the year (typically the winter months). When Persephone is permitted to leave the Underworld and visit her mother, it becomes springtime.
Joy Division made their live debut when they played Pips in Manchester, England on this day in 1978. This was their first gig as Joy Division - although the advert in the Manchester Evening news still called them Warsaw. Ian had trouble getting past the doorman but made it onto the stage on time. Shortly after they started their set a fight broke out, Peter jumped off stage and into the fray, and the club's manager tried to throw them off stage.
-> www.joydiv.org
Wet Leg will be playing at Sunset Tavern on March 26, 2022! Odds are, they'll play this tune, so if you want to hear it live, there's your chance!
Wet Leg (Self-titled) is out April 8, 2022!
wetleg.bandcamp.com
Belly released their debut album 'Star' on this day in 1993.
Tanya Donnely started this band after the Breeders. She shared, "This song was about commitment and respect; the metaphor is the tree that would be planted on large farms as a point of reference to getting around. Because nothing would grow under the large tree, the family would be buried under it. Hence: 'Take your hat off, boy when you're talking to me and be there when I feed the tree.'"
Belly performed a wonderful set Live in the KEXP Studio back in 2018, (hosted by John!). View it here:
youtu.be
Released on this day in 1993! 'Dusk' is the fourth studio album by The The. That guitar you hear is Johnny Marr!
Split Enz release True Colours featuring "I Got You on this day in 1980!
Neil Finn described in an interview how this song started off with just the title: "Tim [Finn, Neil's brother] and I were having sessions where he'd throw me a title and I'd throw him a title and we'd go off to our respective rooms and write a song. And he gave me the title 'I Got You,' and I went in and I wrote it, and I thought the verse was pretty good but I thought the chorus was only a bit average and I should change it at some point, but in fact it was never changed and it became... it just goes to show I don't know a hit when I hear one really."
bit.ly
Prince and the Revolution released "Take Me With U", the final single from Purple Rain, on this day in 1985.
What a great day!
Happy birthday to Andy Cox of The Beat and Fine Young Cannibals, born on this day in 1956!
Happy birthday to Andy Cox of The Beat and Fine Young Cannibals, born on this day in 1956!
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Fine Young Cannibals came together after the dissolution of The Beat. Andy Cox and David Steele formed the group with Roland Gift from another British ska band, Akryllykz, who had previously supported The Beat on tour.
Good morning, happy Tuesday, and welcome to the fabulous Midday Show with Cheryl Waters! Thank you so much for being here!
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This is your opportunity to see Wolf Parade perform "Fine Young Cannibals" live in Ljubljana (That's in Slovenia.): www.youtube.com